Electric switch



Jime 1 1926. 1586,9913

H. A. HoEscHEN ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Nov. 25. 1924 A TTORNEY.

- merged.

Patented June 1, 1926.

UNITED STATES HENRY A. HOESCHEN, or OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Application filed November 25, 1924. Serial No. 752,126.

The invention relates to electric switches and to that elass'of electric switches wherein circuits are closed and opened by a movable body of conductive fluid, operating in asemispherical curvilinear double wall tube formed from insulating material, preferably glass or enamel lined material, which is non,- conductive; a plurality of chambers extending downwardly from the lower extremity of the tube, said chambers carrying a portion of the conductive fluid, in which fluid the lower ends of terminal wires are sub- The terminal wires may be carried in any desired direction through the walls of the tube, either inwardly into the hollow chamber thereof, outwardly or downwardly, or upwardly through the upper extremity of the tube and applied to binding posts from whence electric current may be conveyed.

A further object is'to use mercury as a conductive fluid in predetermined quantities in the tube. Also to provide a reservoir situated in the interior of the tube, adjacent to and slightly above the movable body of conductive fluid, and in which reservoir a reserve supply of fluid may be stored and added to the body of fluid as desired by tilting of the tube, or a portion of the conductive fluid may be transferred to the reservoir as desired, thereby allowing the amount of fluid in the conductive body to be varied as desired. The reservoir is preferably hermetically sealed, and which sealing will not interfere with the apportioning of the fluid.

A furtherobejct is to fill the unoccupied space of the tube with an inert gas, the gas having no chemical affinity for the mercury, or for the material in the tube; the inert gas being approximatelyan atmospheric pressure.

A further object is to provide an electric switch particularly adapted for use in connection with intermittent sign lighting, and comprising a tube pivotally and tiltably supported on a standard and provided with a conductive fluid raceway in which Is disposed a semi-circular conductor wire leading toa source of power and a plurality of contact wires extending downwardly into mer- -cury receiving pockets. and connected to:

binding posts. and which are placed in circuit with the semicircular shaped conductor wire through the medium of the mercury during the oscillatory movement of the tube. Also to provide the tube with a downwardly extending yoke in which is rotatably mounted an eccentric and which eccentric, during the rotation thereof, oscillates the tube for causing the mercury therein to pass around the raceway therein for intermittently closmg and opening the circuits.

With the above and other objects in View the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawing, described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a vertical transverse sectional View through the switch showing the same tilted. I

Figure 2 is a view in elevation of the device.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view through the device taken on line 33 of Figure 1. I

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of the lower portion of one side of the tiltable member showing the mercury body contacting with the wire terminals.

Figure 5 is a View similar to Figure 4, showing a further movement of the mercury body.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing a still further movement of the mercury body.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing a further position of the mercury body.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates a semispherical double wall 2 in inverted position, and 2 the inner wall thereof. Extending downwardly from the lower side of the tube at spaced intervals is a plurality of chambered members 3, in which mercury collects. Connected to the binding posts 4 carried by the base5 of the device are upwardl extending wires 6, which wires referab y extend upwardly into the semisp erical member 1, and through the wall 2 thereof as at 7 and thence downwardly and have their ends disposed in the chambered members 3 in the mercury therein. Wires 6 have suflicient slack where the will not interfere with the oscillatory tilting movement of the semispherical memher 1, which is supported on the conically shaped end 8 of the supporting post 9 carried by the base 5. Disposed within the lower end of the conductor fluid chamber 10 is a semicircular conductor wire 11, which conductor wire expansively engages the outer wall of the semispherical member 1 and has one of its ends extending upwardly and through the inner wall 2 as at 12 above the raceway portion 13 for the conductor mercury, and thence downwardly to the binding post 14. Mercury is placed in the mercury raceway 13 and as the semispherical member 1 is oscillated by means of the eccentric 15, which rotates in the eccentric yoke 16-, which extends downwardly from the lower end of the tube, said mercury will move around the raceway 13 in contact withthe conductor wire 11, and as the mercury, during its rotation, engages the conductor wires 6, which extend into the chambered members 3, circuits are intermittently made 'It will be seen that the tube is balanced in a manner whereb I a minimum amount of power or force Wlll be required to actuate the same, and in which the required movement consists merely in a circular tiltin movement of the tube or semispherica member 1 about a fixed axis. It will also be seen that a switch is provided inwhich the surfacev tension of the conductive fluid is utilized to effect arapid separation of the poles at the instant of breaking the controlled circuit.

The inner wall 2 on its inner side is provided' with a reserve reservoir 19, which is preferably hermetically sealed at 20, and in which reservoir a reserve supply of mercury is placed, which may be added from time to time to the mercury body 21 by tilting the device sotliat the mercury will pass through the aperture 22 in communication with the chamber 10, therefore it will be seen that the mercury body may be increased in volume or if desired, decreased, for operatin as many contacts as necessary or desire or bring about proper contact of the terminal wires and the electric currer supeccentric 15 during the rotation of said eccentric as the post is stationary, but at the same time the slot 24 is relatively wide, consequently the angularly shaped arm 23 will not interfere with the tilting oscillating movement of the semipherical member during the rotation of the eccentric.

From the above it will be seen that an electric switch is provided which is adeparture from conventional forms. of conductive fluid switches, and a switch -more positive and accurately controlled by reason of the part circular tilting movement of y the specially designed double wall tube, which positively controls the conductive fluid in closingand opening terminal poles. It will also be seen that additional mercury may be easily and quickly added to the mercury in the raceway or removed therefrom. The unoccupied portion of the chamber 10 is preferably filled' with an inert gas, a gas which has no chemical aflinity for the mercury or for the material in the tube, and which gas is approximately at atmospheric pressure.

The invention having been set forth what is claimed as new and useful is 1. An electric switch comprising an inverted semispherical double wall'member having a chamber therein and a fluid raceway adjacent its lower end, a supporting member, said supporting member having .an axially disposed hearing within theinverted member, a conductor member within the inverted member adjacent the raceway, a downwardly extending yoke carried by the inverted "member, a rotatable eccentric cooperating with 'said yoke for oscillating the inverted member, a guide arm for guiding said inverted member in its oscillatory movement and a plurality of conductor members extending into the depression in the bottom of the raceway.

2. The combination with an oscillatory fluid switch having a fluid raceway, of an auxiliary reserve reservoir carried thereby and means whereby fluid from the'raceway may be removed or fluid placed therein.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

HENRY A. HOESCHEN. 

